Thursday, October 1, 2026
As a new school year gets underway, students are returning to classrooms on campuses across Long Island. They are also returning to athletic fields, courts, tracks and pools, rehearsal halls and laboratories, where they will spend countless hours training, practicing and studying for everything from football games to band and choir concerts and stage productions to science fairs and art shows, at which they will represent their schools.
That makes this an ideal time for communities to remember that supporting local schools means more than voting on the district budget, following test scores and celebrating a championship after the fact. One of the simplest and most meaningful ways residents can support young people is by showing up.
Extracurricular school activities are an important part of the fabric of our communities. For students, participation is about far more than wins and losses or hitting the perfect musical note. These activities offer them opportunities to build confidence, learn discipline, develop teamwork and leadership skills, overcome adversity and form friendships that can last long after graduation.
The lessons learned from being part of a team, a music ensemble or the cast of the school play can’t be taught in a classroom. Working with peers toward a common goal teaches cooperation and accountability. Performing in public, whether leaping to spike a volleyball or playing an instrument, requires courage and confidence.
But while coaches, advisers and families play essential roles in supporting these students, the encouragement of the larger community matters, too.
An energetic crowd sends a message to students that their efforts are noticed and appreciated. It lets them know that the hours they’ve devoted to practicing over the summer, after school and on weekends mean something beyond the performance. It reminds them that they aren’t simply playing for themselves, but representing a school and a community that is behind them.
And supporting your schools’ athletes and performers doesn’t have to be complicated. Get in the car. Bring the family. Invite a friend or neighbor. Spend an afternoon at a soccer match or a cross-country meet. Attend the concert. Go to the play.
You don’t need to know every rule. You don’t need to have a child or a grandchild on the team or on the stage. You just have to show up.
Attending a school event can also be a reminder of what makes a community special. Games and performances bring students, parents, teachers, alumni and neighbors together. They’re an opportunity for community members to see young people working hard, supporting one another and taking pride in the name on their uniforms.
The musician performing on stage, the artist displaying a painting and the student presenting a science project deserve encouragement just as much as the athlete scoring a goal. Supporting students means recognizing achievement, effort and creativity in all their forms.
As the new academic year takes shape, residents of every school district should make an effort to get out of the house and become part of the experience. Check the local school calendar, and choose a game, performance or event.
Our schools are among the centers of community life, and the students who walk their halls today will help shape our communities tomorrow. A few hours spent cheering them on may seem like a small gesture, but to a young person who looks into the crowd and sees a community supporting them, that can mean the world.
This school year, let’s do more than applaud our students from afar. Let’s show up for them.
